Abstract
The focus of the research is to develop recommendations of smart specialization (SS) for Ukrainian policymakers using European approaches. The authors revealed that the main SS projects are presented in such sectors as agri-food, industrial modernization and energy. More than 12 EU countries were the plot for conducted analysis of SS, as a result of which the level of activity of each country was determined. The creation of consortiums, including SMEs, associations, universities and other participants, disclosed the successful way of SS realization. The structure of SME’s innovative potential in Ukraine was identified underlining their main characteristic features like types of innovations and innovative activity, differentiation according to enterprise size, their regional distribution. The authors explored lack of innovations on regional and national level and significant territorial disparities, which could be eliminated through policy implementation of regional SS. The existing legislative norms for possibility of SS implementation in Ukraine were analyzed due to correspondence with the EU ones. The analysis provides the opportunity to consider them only as general framework documents without any action plans and sectoral prioritization at all. The weak points of these law documents are emphasized. As a result of research, the authors developed recommendations presented by direct action plan for Ukrainian policymakers, which include such activities as underlining key priorities (especially ICT applicability in every SS project) and their correspondence with the EU ones; eliminating regional imbalances by focusing on innovation development and reorientation of some regions according to SS priorities; respecting regional existing capacities; providing organizational mechanism for cooperation of stakeholders and financial mechanism for SS support through the EU structural funds.
Highlights
SMEs development, in particular innovative ones, plays the pivotal role in regional and national economic growth of every country
The analysis provides the opportunity to consider them only as general framework documents without any action plans and sectoral prioritization at all
As a result of research, the authors developed recommendations presented by direct action plan for Ukrainian policymakers, which include such activities as underlining key priorities and their correspondence with the EU ones; eliminating regional imbalances by focusing on innovation development and reorientation of some regions according to smart specialization (SS) priorities; respecting regional existing capacities; providing organizational mechanism for cooperation of stakeholders and financial mechanism for SS support through the EU structural funds
Summary
SMEs development, in particular innovative ones, plays the pivotal role in regional and national economic growth of every country. Valdaliso et al (2016) tried to apply In their study, Badii et al (2018) used a practical the basics of institutional theory using “the path situation with SS implementation as a basis of dependence theoretical framework” in the inno- research strategy They demonstrate the results vation policies designing process for SS in the EU. In the paper of McCann and Ortega-Argilés (2014), the regional At the same time, there is quite controversial SS entrepreneurship promotion and innovation pro- approach to positive effects of Reid, Leon, and motion agenda was studied as a key element of Muscio (2015)
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